Hartford Man Sentenced to 70 Months in Federal Prison for Selling Crack and Heroin

Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that EDGARDO TORRES, also known as “Eggy,” 37, of Hartford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Vanessa L. Bryant in Hartford to 70 months of imprisonment, followed by four years of supervised release, for distributing crack cocaine and heroin.

This matter stems from Project Longevity, a comprehensive initiative to reduce gun violence in Connecticut’s major cities.  Through Project Longevity, community members and law enforcement directly engage with members of groups that are prone to commit violence.  A critical component of the Project Longevity strategy is the “call-in,” a face-to-face meeting where Project Longevity partners engage group members and deliver a community message against violence, a law enforcement message about the consequences of further violence and an offer of help for those who want it.  Members of Los Solidos attended call-ins that were held in April 2014 and August 2014, but after a spate of shootings involving Los Solidos members and associates, law enforcement directed its coordinated attention to the group.  

According to court documents and statements made in court, in September 2014, the FBI’s Northern Connecticut Violent Crimes Task Force and Hartford Police Department initiated an investigation into narcotics distribution, firearms trafficking and acts of violence carried out by members and associates Los Solidos in Hartford’s South End.  The investigation, which culminated in June 2015 with the indictment of more than 30 defendants, included the use of court-authorized wiretaps, controlled purchases of heroin, crack cocaine and firearms, and the execution of more than 15 searches.  These law enforcement efforts resulted in the seizure of 24 firearms, approximately $74,000, two kilograms of crack cocaine, two kilograms of powder cocaine, one kilogram of heroin, 7,000 bags of packaged heroin, and four vehicles.

Between September 2014 and February 2015, the FBI’s Task Force and Hartford Police Department conducted 14 controlled purchases of heroin and/or crack cocaine from TORRES.

TORRES has been detained since his arrest on June 15, 2015.  On March 17, 2016, he pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute and distribution of cocaine base (“crack”) and heroin.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael J. Gustafson and Gabriel J. Vidoni.